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Obscure Patents: Chastity Belts for Dogs

Perhaps I am missing something, but I do not see a huge market for animal chastity belts. We have a dog, and we are dog lovers. We enjoy walking through pet stores and spoil her rotten. I cannot say that I have seen an animal chastity belt in any of my trips to any pet store. Maybe there is an underground market for these devices, and maybe the inventors get rich and are laughing all the way to the bank. Nevertheless, I must observe that it seems extremely likely that the inventors of these and many other similar devices are failing to ask the all important and critical question — is there a market for your invention and can you make money? In the case where there is a crowded field, and believe it or not animal chastity belts would qualify as a crowded field, it is essential for inventors to ask themselves (and to be honest with themselves) with respect to whether their innovation presents advantages significant enough over what is available in the prior art and those products already on the market. It might be that your invention works, but that no one would be interested in buying it.

In any event, and without further ado, here are a couple chastity belts for dog lovers who just cannot bring themselves to have their pet spayed or neutered.

This invention is yet another version of a chastity belt for a dog, and yes there are lots of them. This version, however, is capable of being used by both male and female dogs. The patent explains that the woven mesh on the under belly and the in the hind quarters region allow for the animal to be able to urinate and defecate, but would not allow for the dogs to have relations that would lead to unwanted pregnancies. I don’t know about you, but I think it would be easier to get the dog fixed if you are not interested in puppies. I also don’t even want to think about washing the garment several times a day for the life of the dog. Beware cheap imitations that do not come equipped with at least some kind of openings that allow urine and fecal matter to pass through.

In any event, the problem trying to be solved by this invention is best defined in the Background of the Invention, which states:

There are millions of dog owners who raise their dogs either in the confines of an interior space such as apartment or a house, or with an enclosed yard. Of course, when the dog is maintained indoors, it is necessary that the dog be allowed to relieve itself exterior to the home or apartment on a regular basis. One of the concerns in this endeavor is the fact that dogs go through a period of being in heat which attracts members of the opposite sex, which may result in unwanted and undesired pregnancy of the dog.

Therefore, there is a need for allowing a dog, whether it be male or female, to be allowed to relieve itself outdoors yet not be susceptible to being impregnated in the case of a female or having the ability to impregnate a female, in the case of a male, when the female is in heat. Also, there is a need for a garment that could be worn by a dog when the dog is undergoing menstruation so that there could be a protective pad placed on the dog so as to avoid the flow from making contact with carpet or furniture, which would cause an unwanted stain or blemish on the item.

What can be said about this invention? The pictures say it all. This one appears to be a rather traditional chastity belt for your pet, and seems to be appropriate for use only by female dogs. The Background of this invention goes into great depths explaining the number of dogs in the U.S. and how population control is extremely important. The patent also explains that some owners are not comfortable with spaying or neutering due to the negative pshycological impact it might have on the animal. In any event, this invention seeks to improve upon other known devices so as to make it possible for the dog to run around and play, yet still not get pregnant. As with the invention above I have to wonder about cleaning this device. The patent explains that it is an improvement over other devices because of its design, ease of use and ability to be cleaned without leading to the laundry list of diseases that are mentioned as being transmittable from dog to human. I could have lived my whole live without having read that list!

In any event, the Field of Invention provides a nice, quick summary of the invention:

The present invention relates to an adjustable harness and animal birth control device. More particularly, the present invention provides an adjustable harness suitable for use with domestic quadrupeds, such as dogs, cats and the like, which can be used alone or in combination with an animal birth control device. The adjustable harness utilizes hook and loop fastening means, such as Velcro.TM., as the primary adjusting means. The adjustable harness includes coupling means such that the inventive birth control device can be detachably secured to the harness, thereby providing a simple and beneficial means for preventing unwanted impregnation of quadrupeds without the obvious risks of surgery and permanent sterilization.

The Author

Gene’s particular specialty as a patent attorney is in the area of strategic patent consulting, patent application drafting and patent prosecution. He has worked with independent inventors and start-up businesses in a variety of different technology fields, but specializes in software, systems and electronics.

Gene is admitted to practice law in New Hampshire, is a Registered Patent Attorney licensed to practice before the United States Patent Office and is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Gene is a graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center and holds both a J.D. and an LL.M. Prior to law school he graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering.

Warning & Disclaimer: The pages, articles and comments on IPWatchdog.com do not constitute legal advice, nor do they create any attorney-client relationship. The articles published express the personal opinion and views of the author and should not be attributed to the author’s employer, clients or the sponsors of IPWatchdog.com. Read more.

Discuss this

There are currently 8 Comments comments.

Col. O. NyAugust 22, 2009 9:12 am

Not a mass market, you are right, but a niche. Dog breeders have use for such items. It appears from the drawings that fecal matter does not pass through the mesh, which is secured just below the anal opening.

Gene QuinnAugust 22, 2009 11:04 am

Thanks for the info Col. O.

Do you have any information, or does anyone have any information, relating to the size of the market for an invention like this? A key question for inventors to consider is the size of the relevant market and whether there are products being sold by others that are sufficient to meet the needs. Whenever you invent you need to make sure that your invention is enough of an advance over other products AND what is in the prior art which may not be actually on the market.

-Gene

Ron ReardonAugust 22, 2009 3:33 pm

Gene,

Yes, you are missing the point.

Follow the logic: Pets are people; therefore my female dog is my daughter; I want my daughter to remain a virgin until she is “married”.

Simple, yes?

Ron

New HireAugust 23, 2009 3:35 pm

I’m surprised this isn’t obvious in light of human chastity belts. I’m also terrified to think of what kinds of devices came up in the prior art search.

susanOctober 8, 2009 11:17 am

Where and when can I buy this, tired of unwaned puppies. Would rather use this and have puppies when it is the best time for my female to breed.

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